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.J. ROBERTSON. APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUBES, 850-.

Patented May 27 6 N O S T R B B O R J APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUBES, 85c.

Patented May 27, 1890.

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(No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. ROBERTSON.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUBES, 6w.

No. 429,098. Patented May 27, 1890.

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. J. ROBERTSON.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUBES, &c.

No. 429.098. Patentd MayZ'Y, 1890.

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(No Model.) A 6 Sheets-Shet 5. J. ROBERTSON.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUBES, &c.

No. 429,098: Patented May 27. 1890,

(No Model.) e Sheets-Sheet a. J. ROBERTSON.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUBES, Aw.

No. 429,098. Patented May 27, 1890.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ROBERTSON, OF BIRMINGHAM, COUNTY OF VARYVIOK, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUBES, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,098, dated May 2'7,1890.

Application filed February 24, 1890. Serial No. 341,412. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES ROBERTSON, of Birmingham,in the county ofVVarwiclgEngland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Making Seamless Tubes, Tube-Blanks, and like SeamlessTubular Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of seamless metal tube-blanksand tubes and like seamless tubular metal articles, such asboiler-flues, pipe-coupling rings or sockets, broad rims of pulleys orrolls, and other hollow articles of either parallel or tapering form,such as blanks for shot and shell.

The invention has particular reference to the articles above indicatedby the employment of a long die having a tube-forming here or seat ofcylindrical form, a piercing-mandrel adapted to penetrate a heatedbillet of metal placed in said die at the end opposite the end which themandrel enters.

In Letters Patent of the United States granted to me November 26, 1889,'I have shown as the billet-supporting means a head supported by astem-rod which is adapted to move synchronously with the mandrel, saidhead moving, however, at a slower rate than the mandrel, so that itsretreating movement corresponds to the rate at which the metal of thebillet displaced by the mandrel recedes before the mandrel, the purposeof said head being to furnish a sufficient support for the rear end ofthe billet to prevent the metal of the billet or the walls of the tubein process of formation from being cracked or broken by the pressureof'the mandrel against it.

In the apparatus shown in said patent the die is shown and described asfixed, and the mandrel, as well as the billet-supporting head movable,so that the tube as fast as it is formed by the action of the mandrelmoves or slips over the forming-surface of the die, the metal of thebillet squirting out, as it were, between the mandrel and the portion ofthe die immediatel y surrounding the mandrel, and moving toward theforward end of the fixed die.

I have found that in many cases it is advantageous to make the diemovable longitudinally, so that it will move when the metal of thebillet within it is being converted into a tube, the surface of the diemoving with the metal that is squirted out or passed in tube form overthe mandrel, instead of remaining stationary while the metal moves overit, as in my former patent.

My invention, therefore, consists first, in the combination, with apiercing-mandrel and a head adapted to support a billet against thepressure imparted to the billet by the mandrel, of a die having atube-forming bore or seat which receives said billet, mandrel, and head,and is movable longitudinally, so that it will move with the metal whichexudes over the mandrel'in the form of a tube as the mandrel is forcedinto the billet, the tube having, therefore, no frictional movement uponthe walls of the die,the only part of the metal used in the formation ofthe tube that is frictionally moving upon the walls of the die being theunformed or solid portion of the billet, said portion graduallydecreasing in length as the tube is formed.

My invention also consists in the combination, with the mandrel, thebillet-supporting head, and the movable die, of means for positivelyimpelling said die, so that the frictional contact of the exuding metalwill not necessarily be relied upon to cause the movement of the die,although in many cases said frictional contact will be sufficient, ashereinafter pointed out. 1

My invention also consists in certain combinations of parts andmechanism incidental to the purposes of my invention, all of which Iwill now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figures 1 and 2 represent elevations of opposite ends of a die and itscontainer embodying my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 represent longitudinalsections on line 3 3, Fig. 1, said figures showing also the mandrel andthe billet-supporting head, Fig. 3 showing the billet and the parts thatco-operate in forming the tube in the position they occupy before thecommencement of the operation, while Fig. 4c shows the parts in theposition they occupy at the end. of the tubeforming operation,.themandrel being movable and the billet-supporting head fixed in said Figs.1, 2, 3, and a. Fig. 5 represents an end elevation of a somewhatdifferent construction embodying my invention. Figs. 6 and 7 representsections on line 6 6, Fig. 5,

Fig. 6 showing the parts in the position they occupy before and Fig. 7in the position they occupy after the tube-forming operation, said Figs.5, G, and 7 showing the mandrel fixed and the billet-supportin g headmovable. Fig. 8 represents an end elevation of another embodiment of myinvention, in which the die, mandrel, and billet-supporting head arearranged vertically. Figs. 9 and 10 represent a section on line 9 9,Fig. 8, Fig. 9 showing the parts in the position they occupy before andFig. 10 after the tubc'forming operation. Fig. 11 represents an endelevation of another form of apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig.12 represents a section on line 12 12 of Fig. 11. Figs. 13 and Itrepresent opposite end elevations, and Fig. 15 a top plan view, partlyin section, of an organized machine embodying my invention, and showingmeans for positively moving the die. Fig. 16 represents a top plan view,partly in sec tion, of the machine shown in Fig. 15, the die and mandrelbeing in the position they occupy after the tube-forming operation. Fig.17 represents a side elevation of the machine shown in Figs. 13,14, 15,and 16. Fig. 18 represents a side elevation of an organized ma chineembodying my invention, in which bydraulic mechanism is employed toactuate the die, mandrel, and billet-supporting head. Fig. 19 representsa section on line 1t) 19 of Fig. 18, showing the machine before thetubeforming operation, the billet being shown in place in the die. Fig.20 represents a top view of the machine shown in Figs. 18 and 19, partsof the machine being shown in section, the die and mandrel being shownin the position they occupy after the tube-forming operation. Fig. 21represents a section on line 21 21, Fig. 18, looking toward the right.Fig. 22 represents a section on line 22 22, Fig. 18, looking toward theright.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and l, A represents the die, which isprovided with a cylindrical tube-forming bore or seat, and issufficiently elongated to permit a billet B, placed in said here orseat, to be elongated into a tube without protruding from the die duringthe forming operation. G represents a billet-supporting head, which isformed on a stem-rod G. Said rod is supported bya step F which is fittedin a socket in a supportingstandard F, formed on the bed orsupportingframe F.

D represents the mandrel, which is formed 7 on a stem D, to whichlongitudinal motion is forward end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, the diebeing moved back to the position shown in Fig. 3, which may beconsidered its starting position. Pressure being applied to the mandrelin the direction indicated by the arrow, the mandrel is caused topenetrate the billet, and the metal of the billet commences to exude orsquirt out in the form of a tube through the annular space between themandrel and bore or seat of the die. The exuding metal being infrictional contact with the die causes the latter to move forward withit in the direction indicated by the arrows marked on the die in Figs. 3and at, the die traveling at the same rate as the exuding metal. Thismovement of the die prevents the mandrel from being packed or stuck upin the metal, and makes it practicable to convert a solid billet ofmetal into a tube or to draw out a tubular blank in the mannerdescribed. The mandrel is also prevented from excessively packing orcompressing the metal during the operation. The solid or unpiercedportion of the billet, remaining stationary because supported by thefixed head G, is in rubbing cont-act with the advancing die; but thisfact is immaterial, because the solid portion of the billet is not asliable to injury by said rubbing cont-act as the exuding portion, whichhas been converted into a tubular form. Said solid portion grows shorterand shorter as the operation advances, until all the metal of the billetis converted into tubular form by the passage of the mandrel through it,as shown in Fig. 4. The mai'idrel-guide C is placed in the forward endof the die prior to the tube-forming operation to cause the mandrel toenter the billet centrally, said guide beim shown and claimed in myformer patent.

G- represents a tubular ferrule or extension, which is placed in the diebetween the head G and the rear end of the billet, said ferrule havingits interior at the forward end formed as a series of steps orshoulders, which support the rear end of the billet and prevent the hotmetalsuch as hot soft steel or hot soft copper-from entering fartherinto the ferrule than the portionincluded by said steps, the metal ofthe billet being therefore caused to flow or exude past the mandrel inthe form of a tube.

In Figs. 5, 0, and 7 I have shown the mandrel D as fixed and occupyingthe position in which the head G is placed in the preceding figures, thehead G and its rod G being moved end wise to cause the mandrel to piercethe tube. In this case the direction of movement of the head G isindicated by the arrow marked on the rod G, and the direction of endwisemovement of the die A by the arrows marked on said die in Figs. (3 and7. The result produced by this arrangement is the same as by thearrangement first described, the only difference being that the mandrelis fixed and the billet-supporting head is movable.

In the construction shown in Figs. 8, 9, and

10 the die, the billet-supporting head, and the mandrel are arrangedvertically, the head being fixed and .the die and mandrel movable inopposite directions, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. In thisconstruction the movable die, instead of being guided by an externalguide or holder, as E in the preceding figures, is guided by thestem-rod G, which supports the head G, said rod being rigidly fixed tothe supporting head or frame F in a vertical position. The die is inthis case made in two sections 2 2, which are held by hoops or hands A AThe construction shown in these figures is particularly adapted forforming military-shell blanks, the supporting-head G being provided witha conical recess to form the closed conical end of a military shell. Themandrel is forced downwardly in the forming operation, and the die israised by the frictional contact of the exuding metal therewith, asshown in Fig. 10. After the article has been formed the die may belifted off from the guiding stem-rod G and its parts separated by theremoval of the hoops A A to permit the removal of the shell-blank. Whenthe apparatus is constructed in the form last described, a hammer orother means for applying percussive force may be utilized for moving themandrel.

Figs. 11 and 12 show a horizontally-arranged die made in two sectionsconnected by hoops A A as in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. In this case theperipheries of the hoops are formed of the same size, and are fitted inthe cylindrical horizontal guide or holder E, the construction shown inthese figures differing from that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 only inthe construction of the die, the latter bein g made in separablesections and guided by the contact of its hoops A A with the holder E,instead of being solid and in direct contact with said holder, as shownin Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 show an organized machine in which the dieA is positively impelled, instead of being impelled by frictionalcontact with the exuding metal of the billet. The die A is in this caseof rectangular form in cross-sections, and the guide or holder E iscorrespondingly formed, as shown in Fig. 14. K represents adriving-shaft journaled in bearings near one end of the frame of themachine, and provided with pinions K K, which mesh with racks H and I,which are fitted to move horizontally in guides formed in thesupporting-frame, the racks I-I being above and the racks I below saidshafts and pinions, so that when the shaft is rotated the rack H will bemoved in one direction and the rack I in the opposite direction. Therack 11 has an offset or shoulder H, which is engaged with themandrel-rod D, so that said rack gives to the -mandrel its operative orbillet-piercing movement. The rackI is connected by rods 1 1 with thedie A, so that said rack gives the die a movement in the directionopposite to that of the mandrel, as

die is made in two halves or sections to facili- I tate the removal ofthe tube, and said sections are enabled to spring apart enough to loosenthe tube at the end of the forming operation by means of recesses A A AA in the sides of the'die, said recesses coinciding with the rollers E EE E when the die is returned to its starting position after thetube-forming operation, and permitting the sections of the die to springslightly apart, so that the completed tube may be easily removed andanother billet inserted. The shaft K, that impels the pinions K K, has alarge gear L affixed to it, which meshes with a pinion M on adriving-shaft N.

In Figs. 18 to 22, inclusive, I show an organized machine in whichpropelling force is applied to the mandrel and die in different relativeproportions, and with a balancing arrangement, whereby this relativedegree or proportion of propelling force is given with any degree ofcumulative force that may be required for both operations. As alreadyindicated, the contact of the exuding annular mass of metal with thewalls of the die is sufficient to move the die forward and relieve theaction of the mandrel and prevent it from sticking in the metal; but forother and larger articles I find it an advantage to assist by a certaindegree of force the endwise forward motion of the die, and to apply tothe diea degree of force directly proportioned to that applied to themandrel, the force applied to the die being preferably about one-thirdof that applied to the mandrel. To accomplish this result I prefer themeans shown in the figures last referred to. hydraulic rams Q and R,connected, respectively, with the mandrel and with the die A. The ram Qis fitted in a fixed cylinder P, and is provided with a step Q, whichsupports the rear end of the mandrel rod or stem D. The ram Q is movedin the direction indicated by the arrow marked thereon in Fig. 19 whenfluid-pressure is admitted into the cylinder P. The ram R is of smallerarea than the ram Q and projects into the latter, said ram Q being ofannular form, as shown in Fig. 19. The ram R is arranged to be moved bythe same fluid-pressure as impels the ram Q, but in a direction oppositeto that of the latter, and has secured to its outer end a cross-head R,which is connected by rods R R with ears E E formed on a slidecarrier A,which contains the die A. Said carrier A and the die A contained thereinare movable in the guides E E, the carrier having ears or flanges A A Insaid figures I show two will be seen that the different sizes of the tworams Q and R cause the fluid-pressure in the cylinder P to exertdiiterent degrees of force on the mandrel and die, the relative forcesbeing the same whatever the cumulative force or pressure employed maybe.

Fig. 19 shows the positions of the mandrel, die, and actuating-ramsbefore the tube-forming operation. Fig. 20 shows the position of saidparts after the forming operation.

To eifect the return movement of the rams, mandrel, and die from theposition shown in Fig. 20 to that shown in Fig. 19, prior to every freshoperation in making a tube, a small hydraulic cylinder S is employed,which is formed like the cylinder P, and has a similar ram U passingthrough one end and bearing against the cross-head R, which is connectedby the rods R R with the die-carrier, and a larger ram T passing throughits opposite end, said ram T being provided with a cross-head T, whichis connected by rods T T with a cross-head Q attached to the ram Q. Whenfluid-pressure is admitted to the cylinder S while the die and mandrelare in the position shown in Fig. 20, the ram U is moved in thedirection required to move the die-carrier and die back to theirstarting position, and the larger ram T is moved in the oppositedirection to carry the ram Q and mandrel D back to their startingposition.

In Figs. 18, 19, and 20 I show a stem-rod G of the billet-supportinghead G attached to a-ram F, which is fitted to move in a fixed cylinder0. This cylinder and its ram serve to hold the rod G and head G steadilyin its position during the tube-forming operation, and for the purposeof adjusting said rod and head to suit the length of the billet B. Thecylinder 0 has cars 0 0 which are connected by rods 0 O with ears P P onthe cylinder P.

. I claim 1. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing outtube-blanks, tubes, tubular articles, and shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a billet-piercin g mandreland a billet-supporting head, of a longitudinallymovable die formed toreceive said mandrel and head.

2. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing outtube-blanks, tubes, tubular articles, and shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a billet-piercing mandreland abillet-supporting head, of a die formed to receive said mandrel andhead, and a fixed guide or guides on which said die is longitudinallymovable.

3. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing outtube-blanks, tubes, tubular articles,and shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a billet-supporting head, abillet-piercing mandrel movable toward and from said head, and a dieformed to receive said mandrel and head and movable longitudinally in adirection opposite to the direction of motion of the mandrel.

4. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing outtube-blanks, tubes, tubular articles, and shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a billet-supporting head, abillet-piercing inandrel movable toward and from said head, a die formedto receive said mandrel and head, and means for impelling said die andmandrel simultaneously in opposite directions.

5. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing outtube-blanks, tubes, tubular articles, and shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a billet-supporting head, abillet-piercing mandrel movable toward and from said head, a die formedto receive said mandrel and head, and anti'friction rollers arranged tosupport and guide said die.

6. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing outtube-blanks, tubes, tubular articles, and shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a billet-supportin g head, abillet-piercing mandrel movable toward and from said head, a die formedto receive said mandrel and head, and anti-friction rollers arranged tosupport and guide said die, said die being made in separable sections,which are provided with recesses arranged to coincide with said rollersat a given point in the movement of the die, whereby the sections of thedie are permitted to separate.

7. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing outtube-blanks, tubes, tubular articles, and shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a billet-supporting head, abillet-piercing mandrel, a die, and fixed guides therefor in which thedie is movable longitudinally, means whereby the mandrel may be impelledin one direction with a given degree of force, and means forsimultaneously impelling the die in the opposite direction with a lesserdegree of force.

8. As an improvement in apparatus for making and drawing tube-blanks,tubes, tubular articles, and hollow articles or shells, the combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a die having a forming boreor seat, a holder or carrier for said die placed in slides to allow boththe die and its carrier to be moved endwise, a billet-supporting headentering the die-seat and fixed endwise, so that the die may move overthe said head, a mandrel adapted to enter the die, an impelling pistonor ram and connections between it and the mandrel, whereby the mandrelmay be impelled in one direction with a given degree of force, andanother piston or ram of smaller size, and connections between thelast-mentioned ram and the die, whereby the die is moved synchronouslywith the mandrel, but in the opposite direction and with a smallerdegree of force or pressure.

9. The combination, with the die and mandrel movable in oppositedirections, of the billet-supporting head, its stem-rod, and the ram Fand hydraulic cylinder 0, whereby said head and rod are adjustablysupported, as set forth.

10. The combination, With the head G, the

' mandrel D, and the die A, of the cylinder P,

rams Q R in said cylinder, connected, respectively, with the saidmandrel and die and impelled simultaneously in opposite directions, thecylinder S, the rams U T in said cylinder, and connections between theram U and the die and between the ram T and the mandreloperating ram Q,whereby the die and mandrel may be restored to their starting positions,as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of 20 January,1890.

' JAMES ROBERTSON.

Vitnesses:

WVILLIAM LINDSAY,

7M. ROBERTSON.

